Rocket

A rocket was a form of spacecraftpropulsion, usually used when a society began the early stages of space flight. It was relatively simple, and could be constructed from easily available materials. Rocket engines could also be used in a wide range of other applications, from fireworks to weapons.

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Rockets were rarely used in societies which had attained warp and/or impulse travel, although they occasionally found uses in small applications such as boosters for gravity boots. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) Rockets had a limited maximum speed – they could only travel as fast as exhaust gases are ejected, which in practical terms means that a rocket could not go faster than about 0.25c (i.e. one quarter of the speed of light). Since the force of a rocket depended on the number, speed and mass of the exhaust gas particles, rockets were also impractical for propelling large vehicles, in contrast to fusion-powered impulse engines (especially those with driver coils, such as those found aboard FederationGalaxy-classstarships).

Rockets did sometimes find applications among warp capable civilizations. For example, Constitution-class starships were equipped with rockets that could be used to quickly escape planetary orbit in the event of an emergency. (TOS: "The Cage")